After Flirting with the God-Tier Beautiful Tycoon - Chapter 41

The two of them sat down, and after a moment, the bus slowly lurched into motion.

Shen Xiaojiang subconsciously looked at the person beside her.

Chen Yi was staring straight ahead, her hands gripping her clothes so tightly that her fingertips were turning white. Her nervousness was visible to the naked eye.

Shen Xiaojiang laughed silently to herself.

At that moment, Chen Yi noticed her expression. She immediately let go of her clothes and looked out the window with an air of arrogant indifference.

Shen Xiaojiang rested one hand on the back of the seat in front of her, turning her body to watch her.

Chen Yi scratched her ear, pretending not to notice the gaze.

Shen Xiaojiang pursed her lips, a smile spilling from the corners of her mouth. “Auntie, what are you looking at?”

Chen Yi exhaled softly, her gaze drifting aimlessly to a random point outside. “Nothing.”

Shen Xiaojiang maintained her posture, and so did Chen Yi.

Like two childish rivals, they held their ground in a silent confrontation. Neither of them truly knew what they were competing over.

The bus turned, exiting the parking lot. The dimness gave way to sudden, bright light.

In the reflection of the window pane, Chen Yi saw Shen Xiaojiang’s smiling eyes.

She swallowed hard, memories of that lingering, passionate night and those burning kisses flooding back.

“Ahem…” She cleared her throat. “Little One, how long are you planning to keep staring at me?”

Shen Xiaojiang played along playfully. “Oh? Who said I was looking at you? I’m looking at the scenery outside.”

Chen Yi didn’t speak, quietly watching Shen Xiaojiang’s face in the glass. Without realizing it, she began to relax.

Shen Xiaojiang couldn’t resist asking, “Auntie, were you looking at me just now too?”

Chen Yi propped her chin on her hand against the window frame, her eyes tinted a honey-gold by the sunlight. “No. Naturally, I was also looking at the scenery.”

“Is that so? Hurry up and share with me, what does your scenery look like?” Shen Xiaojiang leaned closer.

Her face grew nearer in the reflection of the glass.

Chen Yi’s thoughts were pulled taut, her feigned arrogance forgotten.

“There, look,” she pointed randomly. “I was looking at that.”

Shen Xiaojiang cooperatively looked in the direction Chen Yi pointed.

It was… very ordinary.

She turned back, looking puzzled.

“What, I can see it but you can’t?” Chen Yi’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. Her light colored irises looked even clearer and more translucent in the sun, her lashes catching the light. It was a thoroughly charming smile.

Then, she withdrew her gaze from the window and slowly turned to look into Shen Xiaojiang’s eyes.

Their gazes met, a surge of burning sincerity rippling in the depths of Shen Xiaojiang’s eyes.

Such young eyes.

Clear black and white, with no trace of weariness around them.

Shen Xiaojiang moved closer to Chen Yi’s face, her lips parting as she spoke. “Auntie, you’re right.”

Their gazes locked at an even closer distance. Both of their breaths hitched to varying degrees.

“Right about what?” Chen Yi asked.

Shen Xiaojiang’s gaze felt tangible, as if it were tenderly stroking Chen Yi’s features. “The scenery you mentioned… I really didn’t see it. Because my eyes are already filled to the brim with a single person.”

Chen Yi’s gaze wavered; her lashes trembled as she blinked rapidly.

A second later, she turned back to the window.

Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes.

Chen Yi lurched toward Shen Xiaojiang.

Quick-witted, Shen Xiaojiang raised her arm and pulled Chen Yi into her embrace. Because of how they were sitting, it was a loose circle, leaving a tiny bit of space between them.

Shen Xiaojiang watched as Chen Yi’s soft hair obscured her vision. She didn’t rush to brush it away, instead staring directly through the gaps at the other woman’s eyes.

Chen Yi didn’t look back at her. They fell into a brief silence. Time seemed to slow down instantly.

As they sat back up, their hands somehow ended up entwined.

Chen Yi moved to pull away, but she found that Shen Xiaojiang gripped her even tighter.

Joy was hidden in the subtle lines of Shen Xiaojiang’s face.

Chen Yi went back to propping her hand against the window frame, but this time, her palm covered her mouth as she laughed silently.

The scenery outside was beautiful.

The bus had traveled far from Nancheng, and Chen Yi felt a bit lightheaded. It wasn’t motion sickness; it was a sense of trance.

She had never considered that the Dragon Boat Festival was a time meant for traveling.

What had she been doing this time last year?

Chen Yi thought back carefully. She seemed to have been attending an opening ceremony for a hotel. Clinking glasses, forced smiles, and social pleasantries. Just thinking about it felt exhausting.

Looking out the window, she felt a fleeting sense of peace and freedom.

The destination of this journey was aimlessness.

Shen Xiaojiang turned her head to see Chen Yi’s curved brows and the hint of a smile on her lips. Chen Yi’s right hand was still held in her left palm, warming up under her care.

Shen Xiaojiang had just sent a message to Shen Lanxin when her mother’s call came through.

She pulled out her phone and pressed answer.

“Hello? Mom.”

The volume was loud; she pressed the button to turn it down.

Hearing this, Chen Yi glanced over, one eyebrow arching slightly.

“Nannuan, where are you?”

Since Shen Xiaojiang went away to university, she usually didn’t come home for short three to five day holidays. Returning for two days this time was a rare treat, and Shen Lanxin couldn’t be happier.

Shen Xiaojiang looked at the road ahead and estimated the time. “We’ve reached Zhan Kou. We should be at the Haishi station in an hour at most.”

“You’re coming back for dinner, right?” Shen Lanxin asked.

Shen Xiaojiang glanced at Chen Yi beside her. The latter had been watching her but looked away the moment their eyes met.

Shen Xiaojiang’s lips curled. “I’m coming back.”

“What do you want to eat? I’ll have your dad go buy the ingredients.”

Shen Xiaojiang thought for a moment and said into the phone, “Mom, don’t hang up, wait a second.”

She leaned into Chen Yi’s ear and whispered, “What do you want to eat?”

Chen Yi was startled. She looked at Shen Xiaojiang, then at the phone, and lowered her voice. “Anything is fine.”

Shen Xiaojiang shook her head. “No, you have to name at least one dish.”

Chen Yi had intended to just follow the host’s lead, but she couldn’t win against the girl. She searched her memory for recommendations she’d seen online, many bloggers suggested fish head soup. She gave a gentle smile. “Um… fish head soup?”

Shen Xiaojiang’s eyes lit up, as if saying good choice.

The phone was close, and Shen Lanxin’s voice came through: “What? Is someone coming back with you?”

Chen Yi froze for a moment upon hearing that, then wore an unreadable smile, looking at Shen Xiaojiang with great interest to see how she would introduce her to her mother.

Shen Xiaojiang bit her lip and continued in her sweet voice, “Oh, it’s… a university classmate.”

Her mother believed her. “If a classmate is coming, why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ll have your dad buy more food. I’ll meet you at the exit in an hour.”

“Okay, thanks Mom.” Shen Xiaojiang hung up and breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation in her palm.

Looking down, she saw their hands were still joined. However, Chen Yi’s fingertips were playfully teasing her palm.

Shen Xiaojiang applied a bit of pressure, catching her fingers.

At that moment, Chen Yi leaned in, narrowed her eyes, and whispered with a laugh, “Hello there, university classmate?”

Shen Xiaojiang’s face flushed. She faked a frown. “Oh, what’s wrong?”

The mirth reached Chen Yi’s eyes. With the light behind her, her lashes cast soft shadows on her cheeks. “Do I… look the part?”

Palm to palm, Shen Xiaojiang could feel the faint, rhythmic pulse of the other woman. Chen Yi’s breath was close, carrying a pleasant fragrance.

Shen Xiaojiang nodded as if possessed.

“Then…” Chen Yi lowered her gaze, raising it again a second later with a flash of mischief. “Since I’m older than you, you should call me Senior (Xuejie).”

Shen Xiaojiang’s breath hitched.

The title “Senior” didn’t seem bad at all.

She suddenly remembered not long ago when Chen Yi had taken her and Sun Jiabao out to eat and specifically told her not to call her “Auntie” when they were alone, saying it made her feel old.

“Sure thing, Senior.” Shen Xiaojiang grinned, looking both adorable and a little foolish.

Chen Yi was amused. She pressed her loosely curled left fist against her lips and said softly, “You little idiot.”

On the other side, Shen Xiaojiang’s mother, Shen Lanxin, heard her daughter was bringing a classmate home and informed her boss she was leaving work early.

“Old man, the girl is bringing a classmate. Buy more groceries, make sure there’s enough.”

Shen Xiaojiang’s father answered over the phone, “Male classmate or female classmate?”

Shen Lanxin was stunned. She actually didn’t know.

“Are you the coast guard? Why are you managing so much? What’s the difference if it’s a boy or a girl? As long as it’s Xiaojiang’s friend, they are an honored guest in our house.”

As the journey entered its final leg, fatigue began to set in.

Shen Xiaojiang pulled her phone from her bag and looked at the person beside her. “Senior, want to listen to music?”

Chen Yi clearly hadn’t adapted to the title yet. She froze, then gave Shen Xiaojiang’s arm a very light, playful swat. “Little One, are you really going to keep calling me that?”

“Why not? Don’t you like it?”

“It’s not that, it just feels… strange.”

Shen Xiaojiang tilted her head. “How is it strange?”

Chen Yi glared at her, but there was no bite to it.

Shen Xiaojiang, enjoying the mischief, poked further. “Come on, tell your ‘junior’ what’s strange about it? Or is it that your thoughts are getting strange?”

Chen Yi laughed and glanced at her. “Are you quite finished?”

Shen Xiaojiang squinted and said in a mock serious tone, “Not yet. Calling you this makes me feel like the distance between us isn’t so far.”

Chen Yi’s heart skipped a beat, and the tension in her expression melted away.

“Weren’t you asking if I wanted to listen to music?” She raised her hand, palm up, fingers spread.

Shen Xiaojiang snapped out of it and placed a wireless earbud into the thin palm.

“What do you want to hear?” Once Chen Yi had the earbud in, Shen Xiaojiang opened her music app.

Chen Yi looked at her and pouted slightly. “Whatever the junior wants.”

Shen Xiaojiang looked at the top of Chen Yi’s soft hair, suppressing a laugh. She scrolled through her playlist and selected the light instrumental track they had heard in Chen Yi’s car: The Flowing Sadness.

The melodic rhythm was like flowing tide water, capable of instantly washing away the world’s worries.

Chen Yi spent a long time groping around the side of her seat, her brows knitting slightly.

Noticing this, Shen Xiaojiang took out her earbud. “What’s wrong?”

Chen Yi blinked and pointed at the seat in front. “There. I want to sit like that.”

Shen Xiaojiang looked at the front seat; Chen Yi wanted to recline.

“Let me see where the button is.” With that, Shen Xiaojiang leaned over, her firm, long arm stretching across Chen Yi.

Chen Yi sat obediently, waiting for Shen Xiaojiang to adjust the seat. But in this position, it was easy for the mind to wander. Unconsciously, Chen Yi’s face began to heat up.

Shen Xiaojiang stretched her arm. Because of the effort, the veins on her arm were visible, and as she turned, the soft bone of her neck became prominent. The sight made Chen Yi’s heart race.

“Auntie, move over a bit.” Shen Xiaojiang didn’t look at Chen Yi while speaking. If she had, she would have seen Chen Yi’s flushed, longing expression.

“Is this okay?” Chen Yi lifted her waist slightly, leaving a hand’s width between her and the backrest.

Shen Xiaojiang pressed hard, but the seat didn’t budge.

“Am I sitting wrong? Should I move more?” Chen Yi stopped looking at Shen Xiaojiang and watched her hand instead.

The fingers were pressing hard, the knuckles turning white, and the rounded bone of the wrist was protruding. Chen Yi stole a glance at the Shen Xiaojiang who was so close to her, so close that if she just leaned forward, she could rest her forehead against the girl’s collarbone.

The collar of Shen Xiaojiang’s shirt was slightly open, revealing a glimpse of a shoulder strap. Beneath that strap, the soft fabric hugged a youthful, budding shape.

Chen Yi reached up and tucked Shen Xiaojiang’s collar closer.

Shen Xiaojiang didn’t notice. The next second, she gripped Chen Yi’s waist to move her aside. “What’s going on? Is the button broken? Should I..”

Before Chen Yi could finish, Shen Xiaojiang gave a powerful push. The seat back gave way completely, reclining a full 180 degrees.

Both of them tumbled back onto the reclined seat together.

Fortunately, there was no one in the row behind them, otherwise, it would have been truly embarrassing. It was lucky Shen Xiaojiang’s hand was still against Chen Yi’s waist if not for that support during the sudden drop, Chen Yi’s back surely would have suffered.

There was no time to think of anything else. Their current position was, frankly, a bit scandalous.

Shen Xiaojiang was pinned over Chen Yi in the cramped space. As the bus jolted, their soft parts rubbed against each other through their clothing.

Chen Yi stared blankly at her, not knowing what to say. She just blinked and bit her lower lip. When she released it, her plump, hydrated lips shimmered with a moist sheen, making her pale skin look even more radiant. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

One of Chen Yi’s hands was free; she reached around and lightly flicked Shen Xiaojiang’s chin. “Little Junior, have you seen enough?”

Shen Xiaojiang snapped back to reality and took a sharp breath, straightening up. “Sorry, sorry! The button wasn’t broken, I just used too much force. Did I hurt you? Here, or here? Does it hurt?”

The words felt even more awkward. Chen Yi simply shook her head without responding. Any response in this situation felt weird.

Though her mind thought so, her body responded differently.

Shen Xiaojiang turned away and noticed something: Chen Yi’s ears were bright red.

She secretly rejoiced while fiddling with the seat buttons. Chen Yi pulled her qipao skirt close, her gaze wandering, her eyes evasive.

Just now, if Shen Xiaojiang’s knee had been just one centimeter higher, she would have felt the dampness between Chen Yi’s legs.

The seat was finally adjusted, and Chen Yi found a comfortable position to lean back. She lightly tugged on Shen Xiaojiang’s sleeve.

Shen Xiaojiang turned to look at her.

Chen Yi didn’t speak but gave a soft wave of her hand. Shen Xiaojiang immediately adjusted her own seat and leaned back too.

They put their earbuds back in, and the music began to flow again.

Chen Yi gradually leaned toward Shen Xiaojiang. Inch by inch, until their arms were pressed together. Shen Xiaojiang thought she was leaning too close and taking up Chen Yi’s space. Just as she moved to pull away, her arm was gently hooked.

A moment later, she felt weight on her shoulder.

Chen Yi rested her head on Shen Xiaojiang’s shoulder and slowly closed her eyes. “I’m going to nap for a bit. Wake me when we get there.”

“Oh. Okay.”

An hour later, the bus pulled into the Haishi Long distance Bus Station.

Only after most of the passengers had left did Shen Xiaojiang find the heart to pat Chen Yi’s arm. She whispered, “Auntie, Auntie, wake up.”

Chen Yi usually had poor sleep quality, but since meeting Shen Xiaojiang, things had changed. It was no exaggeration to say that wherever Shen Xiaojiang was, she could fall asleep instantly.

The air in the bus was a bit thin, leaving Chen Yi’s face flushed a beautiful blend of rosy red and porcelain white. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, blinking her long phoenix eyes with a soft, raspy voice. “Mmm… where are we?”

Shen Xiaojiang took the earbud from her ear and put it in her bag. “Welcome to my hometown, Haishi.”

Chen Yi looked out the window, feeling a sense of dazed wonder. “We’re here?”

Shen Xiaojiang smiled, getting up to grab her backpack. “Yep! You slept the whole way. Isn’t it magical?”

Chen Yi looked at her. “What, are you complaining that I slept too long?”

“How could I? If the Senior wants to sleep, she must sleep.” Shen Xiaojiang was brimming with youthful energy.

Chen Yi reached out to help with the bag, but Shen Xiaojiang refused. Her hand slid along Shen Xiaojiang’s waist instead, giving it a playful squeeze. “Is that so? And is sleeping with you also a ‘must’?”

Shen Xiaojiang’s waist was sensitive; the tickle almost made her jump. “Auntie!”

Chen Yi walked ahead, laughing. “I’m kidding, just kidding.”

The sun was setting, and a warm breeze blew past. As they stepped out of the station, they were bathed in the brilliant orange glow of the sunset.

Chen Yi tilted her head toward the setting sun, raising a hand to smooth her flying flaxen hair.

Shen Xiaojiang watched her profile, unable to look away.

So beautiful. Truly beautiful.

Chen Yi: Why do I feel like I’ve been tricked into meeting the parents?

Shen Xiaojiang: (Puppy eyes blinking.jpg)

Chen Yi: Mmm? Why aren’t you saying anything?

Shen Xiaojiang: (Puppy eyes continuing to blink.jpg)

Chen Yi: …

Chen Yi: Shen Xiaojiang!

Shen Xiaojiang: What bad intentions could a puppy possibly have?

Shen Xiaojiang: (Puppy eyes blinking frantically.jpg)